Jasper79

It is clear that the Madison County Coroner’s office is under funded. The coroner-elect is doing what any other logical person would do. It is sad that the coroner’s has been neglected for the last 20+ years by the county commission. The coroner’s office should have received funding increases during the past 20+ years.

The coroner-elect is trying to operate the coroner’s office in accordance with State Laws. I do not think it is unreasonable that the county provide the coroner with a vehicle, I am sure the county already has a vehicle in its current fleet that could be used.

He is not requesting special treatment! The county has neglected the coroner's office. A county the size of Madison County should have an adequate budget to support the office. I would think if Jackson and Limestone counties can operate the coroner's office outside a funeral home, surely Madison County can as well. The coroner elect wants to be fair and remove the coroner's office from a funeral home, which was the platform on which he ran his campaign. If the county commission provides no assistance, he will be forced to keep the coroner's office in a funeral home.

How can you not have an interaction with a family, when families have to go to Berryhill Funeral Home to identify their loved ones. This is the reason the coroner-elect wants the coroner office to be outside of a funeral establishment

aeryn78 I am sorry you misunderstood my post, I am not complaining at all, just stating some facts. I don't think Mr. Berryhill or Mr. Whisenant should be expected to invest their personal money for a public office. I take that it is your position, that funeral home owners are the only capable people for this job?

It is unfortunate that the Madison County Coroner office has been allowed to slip through the county government for the past 30 years. The previous coroner(s) should have been involved with the county commission to provide better funding for this office. It makes no logical sense that an elected official would spend his/her personal money and then continue to seek re-election for that office for 20 years.

It would be interesting to find out how much personal money Commissioner Dale Strong and Commissioner Mike Gillespie invest in to their respective districts. Mr. Berryhill nor the coroner-elect Craig Whisenant, should be expected to invest their personal money into a County position. I would think that Mr. Whisenant has a plan and a vision for the Madison County Coroner Office, or he would have never sought election for this office.

This article makes it seem the only way that a coroner’s office can be run is through a funeral home and the is simply NOT TRUE.

Not sure what being homeless, a person with no family, or a person with no insurance has to do with the coroner's office. The coroner is responsible for determining the manner and cause of death for individuals who die outside of the care of a physician. I am sure that all of the funeral homes in the area have taken care and provided a decent burial for homeless people, people with no family, and families with no insurance. This perfectly illustrates the issue of operating the coroner's office from a private business.

According to the Alabama Code 11-5-32, Mr. Whisenant is qualified and capable of the office for which he has been elected. Most coroners in the State of Alabama are NOT medical doctors, and Madison County is no exception, and for that reason our state has the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences has Forensic Pathologists on staff to assist the county coroners. The Alabama Department of Forensic Science will be available for Mr. Whisenant, just as it has been for Mr. Berryhill, and every other coroner in the State of Alabama.

It should also be noted that the Republican candidate for Coroner, Craig Whisenant has received the endorsement of the former longtime Madison County Coroner and Sheriff, Mr. Samuel L. Spry. Mr. Spry was the coroner who trained the current coroner Bobby Berryhill. Certainly, if Mr. Spry with all of his experience has endorsed Craig Whisenant for Madison County Coroner, he is obviously a good candidate for the office.

It should also be noted that the Republican candidate for Coroner, Craig Whisenant has received the endorsement of the former longtime Madison County Coroner and Sheriff, Mr. Samuel L. Spry. Mr. Spry was the coroner who trained the current coroner Bobby Berryhill. Certainly, if Mr. Spry with all of his experience has endorsed Craig Whisenant for Madison County Coroner, he is obviously a good candidate for the office.

It does seem to be a conflict of interest! If you want to be the coroner you probably should not own a local funeral home. I do know that two of our neighboring counties successfully operate the coroners office outside of a funeral home.